St John Zachary Explained

St John Zachary
Denomination:	Church of England
Founded Date:	10th century
Demolished Date:	1666
Location:	London
Country:	United Kingdom

St John Zachary^[1] (meaning "St John, son of Zechariah", i.e. John the Baptist)^[2] was a church, first mentioned in official records in 1181,^[3] within the City of London, England, on the north side of Gresham Street, Aldersgate.^[4] Its vicar from 25 May 1424^[5] to an unknown date was William Byngham, the founder of England's first teacher training college.^[6] It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666^[7] and not rebuilt,^[8] with its parish being united with that of St Anne and St Agnes^[9] by Act of Parliament in 1670^[10] –an arrangement that lasted until the 20th century.^[11] Its site is now a garden,^[12] first made by the fire watchers in 1941.^[13] Partial records survive at IGI.^[14]

Interment

Sir Drugo Barentyn, (died 1415), Goldsmith, one of the Sheriffs of the City of London, twice Lord Mayor of London, politician, was buried there. (N.b.: Goldsmiths' Hall).

In film

The 2011 film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, directed by David Fincher, used the churchyard as a filming location.

Notes and References

1. http://www.juerg-mueller.com/london/pictures/church/St-John-Zachary/ More photos
2. Gordon Huelin in his definitive “Vanished churches of the City of London” (London, Guildhall Library Publishing 1996,) puts forward an alternative explanation – a 12th-century deed, held at St Paul's Cathedral gave it to Zachary the monk, which name was incorporated into the church title to distinguish it from St John the Baptist, Walbrook.
3. "A Dictionary of London", Harben, H.A: Herbert Jenkins, London, 1922
4. “Notes on Old City Churches: their organs, organists and musical associations” Pearce, C.W.: London, Winthrop Rogers Ltd, 1909
5. Article to commemorate the 500th anniversary of his death William Byngham: A Medieval Protagonist of the Training of Teachers Armytage, W. H. G. in “History of Education Journal”, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Summer, 1951), pp. 107–110
6. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Brown-Catley Davenport, R.B (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2004)
7. "The Churches of the City of London", Reynolds,H: London, Bodley Head, 1922
8. Although the name also lived on as a Ward Precinct within Aldersgate British History On-Line "Four Shillings In The Pound Aid 1693–1694: City of London, Aldersgate Ward (Within and Without), Aldersgate Ward Within, St John Zachary Precinct", Barnes, J; Earle, P; Keene, D; & Spence, C (1992)
9. "The London Encyclopaedia" Hibbert, C; Weinreb, D; Keay, J: London, Pan Macmillan, 1983 (rev 1993, 2008)
10. Church of England, Parish of St. Anne and St. Agnes (London, England). – Miscellaneous papers, including churchwardens' papers, settlement examinatio, 1674. – M0003869CLcited in "City of London Parish Registers Guide 4" Hallows, A. (Ed) : London, Guildhall Library Research, 1954
11. "The records of two city parishes: a collection of documents illustrative of the history of SS. Anne and Agnes, Aldershot, and St. John Zachary, London, from the twelfth century", McMurray,W (clerk of the united parishes):London, Hunter and Longhurst, 1925
12. http://www.gardensofthecityoflondon.co.uk/page39.html Gardens of the City of London
13. "London: the City Churches” Pevsner, N; Bradley, S New Haven, Yale, 1998
14. http://www.gendocs.demon.co.uk/city-ch.html Genealogical Website